OpenSea denies knowledge of alleged scams by ex-employee
Recently, nonfungible token (NFT) giant OpenSea has been drawn into the spotlight with allegations surrounding a former employee’s involvement in the $60 million AnubisDAO rug pull of 2021.
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Scam allegations
Accusations made on X (Twitter) suggest Kevin Pawlak, OpenSea’s erstwhile head of ventures, might have ties with the pseudonymous identity “0xSisyphus” and potentially had a hand in dubious business activities.
The claims have garnered considerable attention, especially as NFT Ethics and Lookonchain insist that Pawlak played an influential role in promoting AnubisDAO to investors.
OpenSea’s Stance: Unaware and Uninvolved
Seeking to clear the air, OpenSea shared that they haven’t found any proof associating Pawlak with the contentious AnubisDAO rug pull.
A spokesperson from OpenSea mentioned that Kevin had been an employee until June 2023, serving in a role with restricted responsibilities and not in a managerial capacity. The company further underlined that the projects under scrutiny occurred before Pawlak joined OpenSea, emphasizing their detachment and unfamiliarity with the matter.
The gravity of the AnubisDAO controversy is significant. In October 2021, AnubisDAO successfully amassed 13,556 Ether, valued at a staggering $60 million at that time. Yet, within a mere 20 hours, the collected funds mysteriously moved to various wallet addresses, leaving investors in the lurch.
ZachXBT weighs in
ZachXBT, a recognized figure in the blockchain realm, presented a critical analysis of the allegations. Referring to the thread posted by NFT Ethics, ZachXBT stated it was “one of the most mid-curve things” he had come across, indicating a high degree of skepticism.
He argued that many of the assertions made were based on unrelated events and lacked concrete facts.
On the topic of 0xSisyphus, ZachXBT acknowledged potential negligence concerning the Anubis team multisig. However, he distinguished this from the act of stealing money, emphasizing that “negligence is different from stealing the money from your own project and friends”.
He pointed out that 0xSisyphus had taken proactive measures, like offering a hefty 1,000 ETH bounty for identifying the draining wallet address and engaging with law enforcement in multiple jurisdictions.
Drawing on his insights, ZachXBT also shed light on two potential suspects behind the AnubisDAO debacle, pseudonyms “Beerus” and “Ersan”, offering a fresh perspective on the intricate maze of events.
Through ZachXBT’s analysis, it becomes evident that establishing culpability is not straightforward. As the crypto community continues to debate and dissect, the quest for clarity remains ongoing.
